Malcolm Turnbull hits back at Coalition colleagues over attacks on ABC

Communications Minister Turnbull has warned his Coalition colleagues against seeking to punish the ABC for broadcasting news stories they disagree with.

Mr Turnbull passionately defended the ABC - whose editorial output has been criticised by Prime Minister Tony Abbott and other senior ministers over recent months - by saying on Wednesday the broadcaster is “more important than ever”.

“All of us who've worked in the television business over the years know that everyone thinks they're a programmer,” Mr Turnbull told a gathering at Parliament House.

“[T]he ABC often has news reports that upset people in this building. Well, it does, it will, it always should. The ABC's job is to provide the accurate and impartial coverage of news and information across the nation and to do so without fear or favour.

“We'll all grind our teeth from time to time but we turn on the next night and enjoy your programming.”

Mr Turnbull was speaking at the annual ABC showcase at Parliament House – an event where politicians pose for photos with the Bananas in Pyjamas while mingling with ABC executives, board members and presenters.

The ABC uses the event, held two months before the federal budget, to lobby politicians on the importance of a well-resourced public broadcaster.

“The ABC, my friends, is more important than ever,” Mr Turnbull said. While the ABC has always been “a vital part of Australia's public life”, Mr Turnbull said the financial difficulties faced by commercial media companies make its role especially crucial.

Mr Turnbull said the efficiency review into the ABC and SBS, due to be completed in April, was intended to “make the ABC stronger”.

“The review is designed to provide the ABC - and, indeed, SBS - with the assistance to become a leaner and more efficient business without compromising its editorial output, its broadcasting output.”

Mr Turnbull said he was “delighted” the ABC board had commissioned independent audits of its editorial output and praised managing director Mark Scott as an “outstanding” executive. Mr Turnbull said his role as Communications Minister was promoting "diversity and competition" across the media sector.

Mr Turnbull was the only Coalition minister to attend the event. Coalition attendees included Scott Ryan, Ken Wyatt and Tony Smith.

Mr Abbott did not attend the event, which drew a stronger turnout from senior Labor MPs than their Coalition counterparts.